Alarming lack of access to green space is fueling Britain’s childhood obesity crisis, doctors warn
Doctors have warned that a “truly alarming” lack of access to outdoor space in schools is worsening Britain’s childhood obesity crisis.
Childhood obesity is already a major public health problem. In England, one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese and are at greater risk of serious health problems, mental health problems and premature death.
But doctors and public health experts say poor access to playing fields and playgrounds in public schools contributes to worsening and broader health inequities, leading to thousands of children growing up overweight or obese.
The grim revelation emerged as part of a Guardian investigation into the inequality in access to green space between private and public school students.
Children at Britain’s top 250 private schools have more than ten times as much outdoor space as children attending state schools. Meanwhile, children in state schools are facing a devastating loss of space and time outside the home, with experts warning the problem may be linked to the rising number of children with mental health problems.
Dr. Kath McCullough, special adviser to the Royal College of Physicians on obesity, said there was “no doubt” that a lack of access to green space – and the divide between state and private schools – was exacerbating the crisis.
“This huge gap in access to open spaces at school is another example of the health inequalities young people face. Simply because of the school they attend, too many children may grow up in an environment that is simply not conducive to healthy long-term development.”
The latest NHS figures show that the proportion of 10 and 11 year olds who were obese was 22.7% in 2022-2023. When obesity and overweight figures are added together, 36.6% of children in England are of an unhealthy weight.
Last year the Guardian revealed how a government-commissioned report warned that children were likely to develop avoidable life-changing health problems because ministers had suspended anti-obesity policies until 2025.
The continued high prevalence of obesity in children was “extremely concerning”, McCullough said, and inequality in access to green space in schools “exacerbated these concerns”.
“More than one in five children aged 10 and 11 are obese in England. And we know that children living with obesity are significantly more likely to live with obesity in adulthood and are therefore more susceptible to an increased risk of diabetes and heart problems at a much younger age.”
The average student at one of England’s top private schools has access to around 322 million2 of green space, while the average student at a state school has access to approximately 32 m22 of green space: a ratio of 10:1. Meanwhile, new and unpublished research from the UCL Institute of Education shows that the youngest children in primary school lost 14 minutes of playing time between 2019 and summer 2021 – part of an ongoing downward trend.
Meanwhile, a new Guardian analysis of the space available to state schoolchildren in England has revealed that thousands attend schools with very little outdoor space, with government data showing at least 500 schools have less than 1,000 sq ft of space.2 and almost 30 have no outdoor space at all. More than 1,000 schools have fewer than 10 million students2 per student.
We also looked at the amount of outdoor space available to England’s state schools, and spoke to experts about some of the issues facing our children. As Tina Farr from St Ebbes primary school in Oxford told us: “We need to start running schools that are in line with healthy child development. We can give them six feeding hours a day and that is absolutely necessary.”
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As part of our Access to Green Space series, we looked at the amount of space our children have at school – and how much time they get to enjoy it. Over several months, our data team collected detailed information on the amount of land owned by England’s top private schools, then used satellite data and a range of other variables to calculate how much of this was green space accessible to pupils.
We also looked at the amount of outdoor space available to England’s state schools, and spoke to experts about some of the issues facing our children. As Tina Farr from St Ebbes primary school in Oxford told us: “We need to start running schools that are in line with healthy child development. We can give them six feeding hours a day and that is absolutely necessary.”
“This is a shame,” said Dr Jackie Applebee, a GP in Tower Hamlets, east London, which has the highest rate of child poverty in Britain. “The government must take immediate action to fund state schools so that their buildings are fit for purpose, including, crucially, outdoor spaces.”
When asked what health harms she and other doctors saw in children because of limited access to outdoor space in schools, Applebee said: “Obesity is the obvious one.”
“If schools have limited outdoor space, they are limited in the organized games they can offer. For example, rugby, football, tennis, hockey and korfball all require large surfaces to play. Many city schools cannot offer all of this.”
The inability to learn and participate in team sports makes it less likely that students will play the games outside of school, Applebee said, which in turn can further increase the risk of obesity.
A lack of access to school sports fields also prevents children from practicing their skills and playing sports during unstructured outdoor activities, such as lunch breaks and playtimes, Applebee added.
“Children with only 32m2 miss this. They don’t expect to exercise because they are not used to it and cannot enjoy it. This fits into a lifelong attitude towards exercise and weight gain.”
Professor Stephen Holgate, special adviser to the Royal College of Physicians on air quality, warned that poor access to green space in schools also allows greater exposure to air pollution, increasing the risk of obesity in children.
“The lack of open, green spaces in state schools is truly alarming. Air pollution – especially in urban environments – is a serious problem that has significant health consequences. Children are especially susceptible and there are clear signs of poor lung growth, asthma and respiratory infections.
“For children whose homes are in dense, built-up areas, schools that do have open spaces can provide a crucial break from what can be a seriously unhealthy environment. Without this, children may miss out on increased physical activity, improved lung and vascular health, reduced obesity and blood pressure, improved mental health and even higher IQs.
“Optimizing access to open spaces for children – especially those who do not have access to such spaces at home – must become a greater public health priority to protect the next generation.”